


Broken

by Gottaread2



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Dark, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Happy Ending, Fear, Hallucinations, Hate to Love, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Sorry, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, M/M, Mental Breakdown, Not Really Character Death, Psychological Torture, Reconciliation, You Have Been Warned, season 4
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2019-06-13 10:17:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 18,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15362325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gottaread2/pseuds/Gottaread2
Summary: Set in season 4, what if Jerome had completely broken Oswald before Edward came to visit? When Edward meets his former friend/current enemy, the Oswald he knew is gone leaving behind merely an empty shell. How will Edward react to this?





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So this is going to start out pretty dark. Jerome has found a new way to torture Oswald with the help of Scarecrow. Basically, Oswald is going to get fear gassed again.

Oswald Cobblepot spent as much time in his cell as possible. Whatever he could do to avoid Jerome and the latest torment he had concocted. It wasn't enough. Lately, no matter where he was the mad clown's goons always seemed to find him. On edge, he paced the small space of his room trying not to lose his mind. Suddenly the door swung open.

"NO MORE! NO MORE!" Oswald shrieked in terror, cowering behind his pillow. 

This did nothing to deter the two bulky mental patients that had just entered the room. He tried to run, but his weaker leg gave out under him and he was sent sprawling on the hard floor. The two men seized him by the arms and dragged him out kicking and screaming. 

Jerome clapped his hands in amusement when the Penguin was tossed down at his feet. Oswald scrambled up off the ground readying himself for whatever it was his tormentor had planned. He could never have been prepared for what happened next, however. Jonathon Crane stepped forward from the crowd of Jerome's usual minions carrying a pot of something Oswald was sure he didn't want anywhere near him. He eyed it suspiciously before directing his fearful glare back at the clown.

"We're going to try a different kind of entertainment today." Jerome chuckled, "You seemed a little tense during your last few performances, Pengy. A little stage fright perhaps? Not to worry. My good pal cooked up a _miraculous_ cure."

With that Jonathon walked towards Oswald, readying whatever substance he had in the pot. Oswald's eyes grew wide in horror. He tried to back away, but firm hands gripped his shoulders holding him in place.

"Unhand me!" he screeched sick with terror, "What is that? LET ME GO!"

"Time to face your fears." Jonathon told him, placing the pot at his feat.

The Scarecrow dropped in a final ingredient and a plume of gas billowed out of the top of the container. Oswald knew it immediately. Fear gas. He struggled in the iron grip still holding him, trying desperately to escape the gas but to no avail. He held his breath hoping that it might dissipate before his next intake of air. He had no such luck. With a snap of Jerome's fingers, Oswald's arm was suddenly yanked back and twisted at a painful angle. The sudden agony shooting through his arm caused him to gasp at the pain. The gas infiltrated his lungs. Oswald screamed but was soon lost to his fear induced hallucinations, everything around him fading away to be replaced by his nightmares.

It was nothing like his first experience with the fear gas. It was so much more intense this time and there was no one to cling to. This time it wasn't the Riddler looming over him. Or at least it wasn't only the Riddler. His mother, his father, Fish, Edward, and even little Martin all pointing accusing fingers at him. 

_Your fault. Your fault. Your fault._

He heard their voices, mixed tones ranging from pity to rage. He had no control over his own action as he approached first his mother and plunged a dagger into her chest. Her face twisted in pain, eyes wide with shock. Her blood ran over his hands. She looked at him, still with only love in her eyes. Oswald felt sick. But he couldn't stop. Again and again, he stabbed into her until the light left her eyes. Her voice finally gone from the chorus.

_Your fault. Your fault. Your fault._

Now he stood before his father. The man smiled warmly at his son. The blade in Oswald's hand slashed across his father's throat. He watched helplessly as the blood ran down. Elijah's hands reached up to cover over the wound, but it couldn't stop the bleeding or the strangled sounds as he gasped. Panicked eyes began to glaze over. His voice soon ceased as well.

_Your fault. Your fault. Your fault._

It was Fish's turn to accuse him. Unlike his mother and father, she glared at him when he walked unwillingly to her. She made him and died for it. Because of him. He rammed into her with all the force he could muster, the knife sinking deep into her gut. He felt her nails scratch lightly across his cheek, before her hand fell limp at her side. She was finally silenced.

_Your fault. Your fault. Your fault._

Now it was Edward. It was always Edward. The one he hurt the most. His eyes pleading. He knew what was coming. He shook his head, tears in his eyes as Oswald drew closer. Oswald held the blade beneath his chin with trembling hands willing himself to stop. To change fate. Edward wasn't dead yet. He could still stop it. But he couldn't. He felt the pull as his blade drew across Edward's neck a bloody line. Edward stilled under his hands and his voice disappeared too.

There were no more voices to accuse him. He lost them all. Everyone he ever loved and it was all his fault. 

_My fault. My fault. My fault._

His own voice echoed back at him. But his torment wasn't over yet. There was still one person he truly cares for. Only one he hadn't yet lost. He turned away from Edward to see the child watching him. There was a note scrawled across the little notepad hanging around his neck. Oswald's heart broke as he read the words, _but I am your friend_. No! Not the boy! He was overcome by a wave of nausea as his feet began to carry him to stand in front of Martin. Oswald was screaming as the knife pierced the child's tiny chest. It was too much.

His mind breaks and he ceases to be. He is not Oswald. He is not anyone anymore. And nothing is his fault.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ouch. I had a hard time writing that. Can't have hurt/comfort without the hurt first. But it gets better I promise. Next chapter will be Edward's visit. After that the fic should get more hopeful. And if you are interested in reading this, any kudos and comments are greatly appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edward visits Oswald in Arkham. He is there to gloat. However he soon loses his desire to do so when he realizes how damaged Oswald is.

The shell of Oswald Cobblepot sat against the wall, head bowed, knees drawn up to his chest, and arms hugging himself. He swayed somewhat back and forth, but was otherwise perfectly still. The door to his cell creaked open. He didn't even look up. A light flashed into the room and pointed directly on him and still he gave no response. He hadn't been responsive in days, living in a sort of catatonic state. The guard entered the room and nudged Oswald with his boot.

"You have a visitor." He called. 

Still no response. The guard shrugged and hauled the man to his feet. Oswald offered no resistance and stood as directed. The guard shoved him forward out of the cell and he walked forward robotically, complying with each command given him by the guard as he was led into the visitor's room. The guard shoved him in locking the door behind him, before turning to leave. Oswald stood immobile, staring with eyes that did not see. He hadn't even acknowledged the presence of the other man sitting at the table across from him.

"Hello, Oswald. I see Arkham's treating you well." Edward cackled.

Oswald said nothing. Edward laughed louder. It was a rare thing to see the Penguin speechless. He took in the man's battered appearance with some satisfaction. This was truly the lowest Oswald had ever been and Edward was enjoying it. He may be slumbing in the Narrows. He may have initially been out in the streets devoid of his intellect after being unfrozen. He may have had to rely on a dumbed down version of a past adversary, but he had never been as low as this. His smile widened. He was going to enjoy gloating.

"I have many things you do not have." He told Oswald gleefully, "A purpose, friends. You have neither of those. And I wanted you to see that."

He still recieved no response to his provocations. It was beginning to take the fun out of it. Oswald should be reacting with anger, jealousy... something. But as Edward began to really look at him, he began to notice the difference in his former friend. His eyes looked... empty. The lights were on, but nobody was home. Maybe this was an act.

"I wanted you to see how well I'm doing." Edward continued, watching carefully for any flicker of life in Oswald's eyes. There was none. He finished the thought with a nervous swallow, "And I wanted to see how miserable you are."

Miserable didn't begin to describe it. What in the world had happened to him here? It was like Oswald was gone. This was even worse than that crazy personality shift after Oswald's first stay in the mental institution. At least he had had a personality then. What Edward saw before him was only a living husk. Maybe he could provoke a response. Bring the fire back to Oswald's eyes.

"You have no friends. No one to help you escape. You are utterly alone." Edward prodded, intending the words to sting. 

Oswald blinked but otherwise did nothing. It was too much. Edward pulled back his seat and stood. He slowly maneuvered around the table and walked over to Oswald. He layed a hand gently across the other man's cheek, feeling his clammy skin beneath his fingers. He tilted Oswald's face from side to side, which moved without resistance. Oswald was like putty in his hands. 

Upon closer inspection, Edward could make out the numerous bruises and swelling staining Oswald's face in various shades of red, purple, and blue. Even the room's dismal lighting could not hide the marks. Edward felt a strange knot form in his stomach at the sight. Concern squirmed unwanted through his gut and Edward shifted uncomfortably. 

Bad as it was, his physical condition couldn't account for Oswald's psychological break. The bird was truly broken. Edward couldn't imagine what sort of torture could possibly bring Oswald to this state. Not after everything else Oswald had ever endured. He swallowed hard the lump that had formed in his throat. This was all wrong. Oswald shouldn't be like this. And Edward shouldn't feel an ache in his chest from seeing him this way. But he was and it did.

Not for long, Edward decided.

He leaned down until he was at eye level with the smaller man. Oswald remained stationary, dull eyes continuing to stare forward, face devoid of any expression. Edward stroked his cheek tenderly.

"I'm going to get you out of here. I promise." He whispered softly.

For only an instant something shone in Oswald's eyes. A glimmer that quickly faded back into the void like the dying embers of a long gone flame. But it was something. With that Edward turned and left, only glancing back once to see Oswald still frozen where he'd left him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a little bit of hope at the end there. I really wanted Edward to have sympathy for Oswald in 4.13 so I decided to come up with a scenario where that might have happened. If you are interested in reading this, any kudos and comments are greatly appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oswald is still in Arkham, but not for long. Edward makes good on his promise, but will it be enough to bring Oswald back?

Days went by turning to weeks and Oswald Cobblepot recieved no more visits. This was a fact that went unnoticed by him, however. Despite Edward's parting promise to take him out of Arkham, Oswald remained hollow. He spent his days silent and mostly unresponsive. The only difference was that the staff could now get him to feed himself after only a little bit of coaxing. When Jerome's goons came for him, he no longer fought back. He docilely allowed himself to be dragged away from wherever he happend to be at that moment. Jerome quickly grew tired of him now that the toy was broken, deciding that the Penguin wasn't the 'crème de la crazy' after all. After that, Oswald was mostly left alone. Not that he noticed.

Hours upon hours spent staring blankly at walls was Oswald's usual state. Occasionally, incoherent mumbling could be heard coming from Oswald's cell and other times he might wander the halls aimlessly devoid of any thought or intention as though his body acted on it's own. Like the living dead. No one paid any mind to this. It wasn't unusual for a place like Arkham. 

One day that all changed. Oswald was in the cafeteria, like the rest of Arkham's patients. Mouthful after mouthful of sloppy mush was robotically spooned into his mouth. Chew. Swallow. Chew. Swallow. And then he collapsed! His breathing became labored and shallow. His body convulsed violently on the ground as orderlies rushed over to him. Two of them lifted Oswald's body to carry him to the infirmary, as the rest held back curious onlookers. 

A few of the mental patients glanced knowingly in Jerome's direction, expecting that he had something to do with this. However, the clown looked only perplexed by this turn of events. He hadn't done a thing to the Penguin, not since he became so boring. Or at least that was what he had thought before, when he'd been unable to get a proper performance out of the bird. _This though, this is interesting_ , Jerome thought, a jolly smile spreading across his face. He should have known. Of course, the best acts always include an element of surprise. He felt his fascination with Oswald renewed. Somehow that crazy little bird was always at the center of Gotham's happenings. He looked forward to seeing what came next.

By the time he had made it to the infirmary, Oswald was already unconscious. Soon after, he ceased breathing. There hadn't been enough time to figure out what caused the sudden decline in his health let alone to save him. A doctor checked for a pulse, but upon finding none, the patient was pronounced dead. As far as the medical staff were concerned, that was the end of the Penguin. His body was carted away to the facility's morgue. 

That is where Edward found him. Just as planned. Away from guards (no one thought to guard the dead). Here, there wouldn't be anyone to stand in the way when he took Oswald out of this place. He picked up the body of his friend and cradled it in his arms with care. Oswald was not dead, despite appearances. He was merely in a sleeplike state brought on by a special poison. His breath and heartbeat were slowed to the point of being undetectable even to trained professionals. Even knowing this, it was hard to see him this way. When Edward had shot to kill Oswald before, he hadn't lingered to see the body. He hadn't wanted to see him dead, despite his anger and hurt back then, and seeing it now disturbed him greatly. Without further pause, Edward injected the antidote into Oswald's neck and waited for his friend to revive.

It had taken time, longer than he liked, to find a toxicologist intelligent enough to create the poison capable of this effect. Weeks of searching for the right person and numerous threats had finally produced a solution, but only after several weeks had already passed. After that it had been a simple matter to bribe one of the kitchen staff to slip the poison into Oswald's food. This would guarentee Oswald's rescue. No one would ever suspect that the Penguin's sudden death was actually all part of a break out. It was the perfect plan. Wasn't it?

As the seconds ticked by, Edward began to feel nervous. What if the dose of poison was too strong? What if Oswald didn't wake? Just as he was beginning to panic, Oswald's eyes opened and his breath came in shuddering gasps. Edward was disappointed to see that the man's gaze still seemed so soulless, but at least he was alive. 

Relieved by his revival, Edward decided it was time they leave this godforsaken place behind. He lifted Oswald and carried him down a corridor that would take them to the exit, outside of which waited their getaway vehicle. It was not as difficult as it should have been, even though Edward's physical strength was not one of his known traits. Oswald was surprising light. He seemed to have lost a considerable amount of weight since the last time Edward had seen the man. No doubt a consequence of the time he had spent in the asylum. He wasnt sure why, but the thought of it burned him up inside. Edward planned to remedy the situation as soon as possible. He would ensure Oswald put back on some healthy weight.

It still felt odd to him that he cared so much about Oswald's condition. Maybe it made sense that he had cared strongly for Oswald once before. Back when they were friends, he would have done anything for him. But he shouldn't feel that way now. The two of them had sought to destroy one another on multiple occassions by this point, each very nearly succeeding. But none of that seemed to matter anymore. Edward did care and it defied explanation. So here he was after weeks of planning, once more doing everything he could for Oswald. He must really be an idiot after all.

With his arms full of Oswald, Edward was left to kick open the door to the outside. He breathed in the fresh air, glad to be leaving Arkham, and made his way to the waiting vehicle parked nearby. He deposited Oswald into the passenger seat. Oswald stared blankly out the window. Edward sighed, buckling him in with care, before making his way around to the driver side. He turned the key in the ignition, putting the vehicle into drive, and drove away. 

He was heading back to the Narrows, not sure where else to go with Oswald. Somehow he doubted anyone would come looking for the Penguin there. Who would expect the Riddler, his enemy, to break the Penguin's corpse out of Arkham? The ridiculousness of it all made him chuckle. Oswald remained impassively silent. Edward glanced over at Oswald, checking to see that he was still alright. Still conscious. Their eyes met and there it was. That spark of recognition!

"Edward?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some more hope for the ending and yet another cliff hanger. Y'know, I'm slowly inching our way towards that happy ending, but we'll get there. Next chapter is going to be the very comfort part. Also if you are interested in this story, any kudos and comments are greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading :)


	4. Chapter 4

"Ed?"

The sound of Oswald's voice was soft and unsure. There was a tremble to it that caused a dull ache in Edward's chest. But it was so good to see him finally coherent. He felt relief wash over him. Until he saw Oswald shaking. Edward tried to smile at him reassuringly.

"Welcome back." Edward said, "I'm not going to hurt you, Oswald. I'm helping you."

The Penguin just stared back at him in confusion. His body continued to shake and his eyes seemed a little unfocused. There had to be something he could say to get through to him.

"You're safe now. I got you out of Arkham."

Edward had meant the words to be reassuring, but it seemed they had the opposite effect. Oswald's eyes grew wide with horror as he seemed to gain a sudden awareness of his surroundings. Oswald looked around himself nervously, head turning to see out the window.

"This can't be happening." Edward could hear Oswald say in a mumbling whisper, "No. No no no. I can't be here. This _cannot_ be happening."

"Oswald?"

Oswald's crazed eyes snapped back to Edward. The burning intensity of his stare was unnerving. Edward was beginning to have his doubts about Oswald's sanity. Maybe he was too far gone. Too broken this time. Suddenly, Oswald lunged at him.

"TAKE ME BACK! TAKE ME BACK!" Oswald shrieked hysterically, grabbing at the steering wheel. The vehicle swerved dangerously off the road. Edward slammed on the breaks and they came to a sudden screeching hault.

"Geez, Oswald! You need to calm down! I _rescued_ you. You're safe now."

"No! You killed him! You _killed_ him and its all my fault!" Oswald cried, "I killed all of you!"

What was Oswald talking about? He wasn't making any sense. Who did he think he had killed? Oswald continued to panic, tears streaking his cheeks. Edward grabbed hold of him and held him tightly, rocking them back and forth in an attempt to soothe him. Oswald stilled in his arms.

"I killed you." Oswald sobbed, clinging to him.

"No, I'm right here, Oswald. You didn't kill me. I'm right here." Edward reassured him.

Edward continued the prolonged hug awkwardly. He wasn't good at this sort of thing and felt unsure how to deal with it all. Their position was far from comfortable, stretched across the seats that way, but it seemed to be working. He gently shushed Oswald and rubbed circles into the other's back until he had finally calmed down.

Edward leaned back into his own seat once more, although his hands remained resting reassuringly on the other man's quivering shoulders. After a moment, he took Oswald's face into his hands and forced him to meet his gaze.

"Oswald, I need you to calmly explain what is wrong. Why are you so upset?" 

"I..." Oswald paused taking a shaky breath, "I have to go back. She has Martin and if I don't go back she _will_ hurt him. She will hurt him and it will be all my fault. It's always my fault." 

Martin? Who was Martin? Edward felt a hot stab of... jealousy? Yes, he was jealous. The emotion confused him, but it wasn't the time for that. He had to figure out how to help Oswald. He did his best to bury the feelings and focus on the problem at hand.

"You're worried that someone will hurt Martin if they discover you escaped Arkham?" Edward asked, trying to follow Oswald's train of thought. 

Oswald nodded. As tears continued to fall, he sniffled and wiped at his eyes. Whoever this Martin was must mean a great deal to Oswald. Edward hadn't seen him like this since he found out about Oswald's betrayal and had taken him to the pier to kill him. Oswald had pleaded then, tears in his eyes. Tears for Ed, tears because of Ed. Maybe Oswald had loved him once. But that love had been selfish. The memory sat uncomfortably in his gut even now. But he had put all that behind him when he decided to rescue Oswald from Arkham. Now Oswald's tears were for someone else. Edward sighed. He didn't like it. Jealousy burned through him even as he tried to suppress it. He reached over and buckled Oswald back into his seat. Once that was done, he put the vehicle back into drive and lurched back onto the road. 

"No one knows you escaped. Everyone thinks you died, so no one should be looking for you." Edward told Oswald, watching the relief wash over him instantly, "Now if you tell me who Martin is and who has him, we can start to plan a rescue."

"Rescue?" Oswald looked confused again.

"I'm going to help you." Edward explained a bit irritably, "I worked hard to get you out of Arkham. I'm not going to let you put that all to waste now over some guy named Martin."

In response, Oswald peered at him, studying him intently. It was the most lucid he had been since they began their conversation. Oswald almost seemed like his old self. Edward felt his cheeks burn at the scrutiny. Could Oswald see it? Edward's jealousy.

"Why are you helping me?" Oswald finally asked, "I thought you would want to see me ruined."

"I thought so too." Edward stated honestly, "Until I actually saw it. You probably don't remember, but I came to visit you while you were in there. In Arkham. I came to rub salt into the wound. I wanted to see how miserable you looked."

Oswald remained quiet throughout the explanation, watching Ed with a wariness in his eyes. Trying to see through him. Trying to see the truth. But Edward was already telling it.

"But when I actually saw what had become of you, what they had done to you, I knew I couldn't leave you there." Edward finished.

"But why not?" Oswald questioned in disbelief, "After everything... you've humiliated me and attempted to kill me! Why would you save me now?"

"For the same reason you wouldn't freeze me again." Edward returned, "You can claim it was revenge. But the truth is you just couldn't do it again. And neither could I."

Edward kept his eyes on the road, pointedly not looking to see Oswald's reaction. It was as close as he could get to admitting the truth to Oswald. The truth was Edward still cared about him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops! I meant for this chapter to be a lot more comforting and fluffy. But as I was writing it, I realized "but what about Martin?!" Oswald would never be okay with leaving Arkham unless he knew Martin was safe. So this happened. Still tried to put some comfort elements into it but... idk. Martin must be saved first!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After successfully saving Oswald from Arkham, Edward takes him back to his home in the Narrows to care for him and plan a rescue for Martin.

Oswald had remained quiet for the rest of the ride and Edward let him. He wasn't sure how to handle the situation and worried that the man might lose himself again if pushed too far. Oswald still didn't seem quite himself. One moment, he would be staring out the window, seemingly lost in thought, but peaceful, and then the next glancing around himself wildly as though he had forgotten where he was again. Looking lost and afraid. Each time, Edward would gently pat Oswald's shoulder bringing him back from wherever he was. Back to the here and now.

Eventually, they arrived at their destination in the Narrows. Edward led Oswald into a dingy apartment where he was currently living. It wasn't much to look at and was terribly tiny, but it would have to do as their temporary headquarters. At least until they had gotten Oswald's power back from Sofia. Here they could safely discuss the situation and formulate their plans. After all, who would look for a dead man at the home of his enemy? As far as the rest of Gotham knew, Edward still hated him and the Penguin was dead.

Edward reflected on this. It was strange how quickly that had all changed for him. He no longer felt any hatred towards the man. In fact, he still cared for Oswald deeply. Maybe more than cared. He could finally see that now. But what did Oswald feel for him? The question worried him. Edward was also anxious to finally learn about this Martin person Oswald seemed so fixated on saving. He was still trying to come to terms with the jealousy he felt like an irritating itch that wouldn't go away. He had to find a way to scratch it! But before that, there was an even more pressing concern to take care of first. Oswald needed to eat. 

"Since you lost your last meal, sit here and I'll make you something." Edward said, strolling into the kitchen.

"No need." Oswald huffed, following after him, "It can wait until after Martin is safe."

Edward rolled his eyes, trying and failing to hold back the annoyance he felt. Now Oswald was even putting aside his own well being for the guy! Was Martin really so important? It was clear that Oswald loved him and Edward could hardly stand it.

"Not before I put some food in you. You will be no good to this Martin fellow if you pass out from hunger." Edward scolded, "Besides, we need a plan first. We can discuss details while you eat."

He watched Oswald's body sway worryingly even as the man tried to stand his ground. Definitely not convincing. Edward settled Oswald into a chair at a small kitchen table despite his grumbling. But clearly, Oswald did not really have the strength to argue, even though it seemed he still wanted to. Before he could complain further, Edward began busying himself preparing a quick lunch. Nothing too extravagant. A simple sandwich, ham and cheese on wheat. And of course, he couldn't forget the spicy mustard. He slathered on what he would have deemed an excessive amount, knowing Oswald preferred it that way.

Oswald scowled down at the sandwich as Ed slid the plate in front of him. His mind was clear for now. No time to waste. Every moment that passed, the potential for someone to notice he had escaped increased. Every moment wasted put Martin more at risk. He _could not_ lose another loved one! If something happened to the boy, it would be his fault. He recalled the vision of the boy's lifeless body. Once more, he saw the blood staining his own hands. He shook it away as though it were real and his hands were clean once more. No trace of the imagined blood left behind. It did little to relax him however. Oswald was not about to sit around, stuffing his face, and risk his nightmarish hallucinations becoming reality! Besides, he wasn't even hungry! He told Ed so, shoving the plate aside.

At that moment, the penguin's stomach growled loudly. Apparently his stomach disagreed. Edward chuckled lightly. Oswald was still as stubborn as ever. It was good to see him this way, especially under the circumstances. Though he still had his concerns, it was reassuring to see some of Oswald's normal behavior returning. He was already far better than the empty shell he had carried out of Arkham. Feeling encouraged by this knowledge, Edward pushed the plate back in front of him.

"Fine." Oswald groaned, picking up the sandwich and taking a bite. "You win. Happy now?"

"Very." Edward smirked, turning back to the counter to make a sandwich of his own. 

As he did, Oswald began to talk between bites. He told the story of his meeting Martin and how he had been used against him by Sofia. Every so often he would get lost in the telling and Ed would have to snap his attention back to the present. Despite this, Edward learned a lot about Oswald's experiences during their time apart. As it turned out, Martin was actually a little orphan boy. While Edward no longer felt jealous, he was surprised to find out that Oswald was capable of befriending a kid. He still remembered their shared disdain for children from the time they had visited the elementary school. Martin must be special to have caught the attention of the Penguin.

After finishing their lunch and getting Edward caught up on the current situation, it was time to come up with a plan. Now that he was no longer jealous, Edward no longer felt the need for an "accidental" death to occur during the rescue. Before he knew Martin was only a child, the thought had crossed his mind. And unlike with Oswald's rescue, there was no need to be covert. So why not have a little fun with this? A plan began to form in his mind. This was going to be good.

"We're going to need a bazooka." Edward explained gleefully.

"A _what_?!" Oswald exclaimed, "We are trying to _rescue_ Martin. Not blow him up!"

"Trust me, Oswald." Edward replied rubbing his hands together in excitement, "This will work! You will have your boy back and we will make a statement with my plan."

...

After only a few days, Edward had managed to find out where Sofia was keeping Martin. It had been easy enough tricking Victor Zsasz into revealing the boy's location. He probably could have figured it out without having to dress as an old Polish woman, but where was the fun in that?

On the third floor of a shabby apartment building, a couple of Sofia's cronies were keeping guard. Or at least they were supposed to be. Now, in the dead of night, everyone was still asleep. The perfect opportunity to sneak in and carry out the Riddler's plan. Edward had tried to convince Oswald to wait in the car for him. It wasn't safe here and he still wasn't certain about Oswald's health or mental state. But despite his concern, the man had been quite insistent on tagging along. In fact, "no" had not even really been an option.

"This is ridiculous!" Oswald hissed, doing his best to keep his voice down.

"I think you mean brilliant." Came Edward's whispery response.

As they crept inside, Oswald was unable to hold back from questioning Edward about some of the particulars of his plan. None of it made any sense!

"But if we are already here, _why_ would I leave Martin HERE?!" Oswald's voice rose a bit as he once again tried to understand Edward's logic (or perhaps the lack of it). 

"Sh!" Edward clapped a hand over the other man's mouth, "Do you want to get us caught?"

Oswald shook his head. Edward released him and tiptoed his way towards one of Sofia's goons slumbering in a chair and snatched a key from his pocket. A key he knew unlocked a door. A door to the bedroom where the little orphan boy slept, dreaming of rescue.

"I'm just saying we should save Martin tonight. I don't see the point in leaving him here when we can take him with us now." Oswald grumbled in a hushed tone.

"That's because you have no sense of showmanship, Oswald. Trust me. It'll be fun."

Oswald looked unconvinced, but silently padded down the hall after Edward anyway. He didn't see any way of talking him out of his absurd scheme without causing a scene. But the plan had better work! The two came to a door at the end of the hall and Ed unlocked it with his stolen key. He turned the knob, careful not to make a sound, and gently pushed the door open. They peered inside. 

The room was dark, the only source of light filtering in through a single window from dim streetlamps outside. But as his eyes adjusted, Edward could just make out the mop of curly brown hair peaking out from under a blanket draped over the child's huddled form. Light snores could be heard coming from him. Martin was sound asleep. Perfect.

He and Oswald entered the room quiet as mice. Oswald made his way to the side of the bed, softly watching the sleeping figure. Edward approached from the other side and motioned Oswald to lift the boy's head. Oswald did so carefully so as not to wake him. Edward found the little notepad around his neck that Oswald had told him the boy would have. He lifted it up over Martin's head and replaced it with one nearly identical of his own making. Oswald laid him gently back down. With the preparations complete, Edward turned to leave the room, but felt a hand grab at his sleeve. Oswald.

"You are absolutely certain nothing can happen to him?" Oswald's voice trembled.

"You have my word." Edward reassured, "We'll be watching over him the entire time. He'll be safe."

Oswald nodded. He hesitated only a moment before letting go of the sleeve. Edward walked out of the room turning back in time to see the other man linger just a while longer and press a soft kiss into the sleeping child's forehead.

As they departed, Edward heard Oswald softly murmur, "We'll be together again soon, Martin." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yes the rescue plan is the same as from the show except Oswald is there to help this time. I still can't believe the ridiculousness of this plan. I'm not sure how the notes were supposed to have gotten there in the show, but this is what I imagined lol. Breaking in just to switch the notepads and then leave. Ed is so extra.


	6. Chapter 6

Oswald didn't like it one bit. Waiting outside for Edward's signal. Perched on the rooftop of a building across the street. This was entirely too far away. He should be the one in there rescuing Martin. What if Edward let something happen to him? What if something went wrong? He'd skin the man alive! After all, Martin could have been saved hours ago if it weren't for the Riddler's absurd flare for the dramatic. It wasn't enough to simply whisk Martin away in the middle of the night. No, they had to make a spectacle of it. And why should Ed be the one to do it?

"Because, Oswald, you have better aim than I do." Edward explained for the third time, "I could do it, but that would make the whole operation more risky. If you are truly concerned for the boy's safety, then you will follow my instructions to the letter."

Oswald grumbled lowly, but gave up on arguing over it. Edward had better be right. And this had better work.

After that Edward departed inside the building, leaving Oswald on its roof. Disappearing only a moment to reappear back at ground level and scurrying across the street. Oswald watched him go and prayed things would go according to this ridiculous plan.

Oswald knew by now that Edward would be spying from the apartment next door. He would know it the moment Martin had read the notes left behind for him on his notepad. Despite his worry, he couldn't deny the special kind of learning experience this would be for his little criminal-in-training. It was the only reason Oswald had agreed to this in the first place. He waited with growing impatience for the signal. What was taking so long?

He couldn't stand it any longer, picking up the radio and whispering into it, "Can you see him? Is he okay?"

"I've got eyes on him. He's fine, Oswald. We just have to wait until he sees the notes before the plan can proceed." Edward soothed.

Oswald tapped his foot anxiously, but did his best to settle back and relax. This would work. It had too. And soon enough Martin would be back by his side.

"Get ready! He read the first note!" 

It was almost endearing how excited the Riddler sounded watching his plan unfold. He could hear the other man's devious laugh before the radio went silent once more. Oswald readied himself, picking up the rocket launcher at his feet and aiming it at the specified target. He felt a thrill run through him in anticipation. The thought of finally blowing up the fiends who dared keep Martin captive made him chuckle. Perhaps Edward's excitement was contagious. 

"Now, Oswald!"

Oswald fired. He watched the projectile shatter through the glass. A loud boom and then there was smoke billowing out of the window. Oswald lingered only a moment to see Edward come out of a next door window and carefully shuffle across the ledge leading to his destination. He scramble in through the window and disappeared into the smoke. Show off!

As he made his way back to ground level, he smiled to himself. The plan had gone smoothly. Just as Edward said it would. All that was left to do was meet Martin and Ed at the exit, get-away car at the ready.

It wasn't the time nor place for a lengthy reunion, but as soon as Oswald saw Martin, he ran to him wrapping him up in his arms. He turned away to hide his tears of relief. Although Edward had already seen him at his lowest on multiple occassions, Oswald hated to display his weakness anymore than he already had.

"Come on, you two." Edward chirped, already in the driver's seat, "And, Oswald, we're making a quick stop before we go home. I promised the kid some ice cream."

On the ride back, Oswald couldn't help but wonder at how this had all come to pass. It was strange how quickly he placed his trust in Edward once more. So the man had rescued him from Arkham, was it really enough to erase the past? No, Oswald decided. It wasn't enough. But this was. To have his boy back safely. He owed Edward everything for that.


	7. Chapter 7

Oswald tucked a sleeping Martin in on the couch, still unable to believe any of this was real. A part of him feared it was only a dream. That he would wake up back in Arkham, powerless and afraid. But, no. Edward really had saved him. Saved them both, actually. He brushed soft brown curls back out of the boy's face reassured by by the gentle warmth he felt there. 

"Thank you, Riddler." Oswald whispered, turning to face Edward once more.

This caught Edward off guard. He never expected to hear that coming from Oswald. _Riddler_. Oswald had finally acknowledged him. Like they were equals. The look of disbelief must have shown on his face.

"I'd call you whatever you wished from now on." Oswald chuckled softly, low enough not to wake Martin. "I needed you and you came through for me when no one else would. You've more than earned my respect and gratitude. I'm actually not sure how I will ever repay this debt."

"I might have an idea." Edward replied smoothly.

"Let's hear it then." Oswald said, stepping around the sofa to join Edward. They quietly tiptoed to the adjacent room. "I really do owe you. Whatever you need."

"Oswald, could you close your eyes?" Edward requested, turning to face the smaller man.

His pulse quickened, heart hammering wildly in his chest, knowing what he was about to do. Oswald after a brief look of confusion, complied with the request. Edward approached him slowly. There was something he needed to know. Something he wanted to understand.

_What exactly was it that he felt for Oswald Cobblepot?_

It was something he had spent so long ignoring. The strange ache in his chest when he thought Oswald was gone forever. He had felt it again when he saw how broken the man was in Arkham. But what did it mean? And why did he feel a strange flutter in his gut when Oswald praised him, or looked at him, or touched him? Why did he feel warm when Oswald was near and safe? What was that jealousy he had felt before when he thought Martin was another man in Oswald's life? The answers all seemed to point towards one conclusion. But he had to be sure.

Edward placed a hand on Oswald's cheek, stroked across it with his thumb. Oswald inhaled sharply at the touch, slightly startled by it. Edward studied Oswald's face. The damage done to it in Arkham had already faded like a distant memory. He wondered about the other damages, marks not visible to the eye, imprinted on the mind and heart.Were those healing too? He pressed his lips to Oswald's.

The kiss only lasted a moment before Edward pulled away. Oswald's eyes fluttered open. Bewildered blue staring into brown.

"Ed, what was that?" Oswald murmured softly, "Why would you... why did you do that?"

"There was something I had to know. Something I couldn't admit to myself before." Edward tried to explain, searching for the right words. "I care about you. Through everything that happened, I never really stopped caring."

Edward paused a moment to gather his thoughts. He took a steadying breath before he continued. Oswald remained silent, waiting for him to finish what he had to say.

"When I thought I killed you before... Oswald, I didn't just become the Riddler. It tore me in two. The _only_ time I've ever felt whole was when I was with you."

"What are you saying, Ed?" Oswald's voice lightly trembled.

"I don't know, but whatever this is between us..." Edward gave his nervous reply, "I want to give it a chance. If you'll still have me?

"Is that the favor you would ask of me?" Oswald swallowed, feeling unsure.

"It is." Edward confirmed resolutely.

"Then I'll have you."

Edward felt like his head was spinning after finally confessing to Oswald. It was nothing yet so defined as love. It still felt unformed. Nebulous. Like a ball of clay ready to be shaped. In the hands of an attentive artist, it could become something beautiful, but if treated recklessly the result could be disasterous, cracking from the slightest pressure. Whatever this connection between them was, Edward would treat it with care this time. He definitely felt something for Oswald and he was ready to see what shape it would take.


	8. Chapter 8

After that night, the night Edward kissed Oswald for the first time, things between them gradually began to change. Only little things, nothing so obvious as the kiss. It wasn't like they suddenly began displaying affectionate gestures or sharing intimate touches. It was something more subtle than that. A fond smile, a kind word, a longing glance in the other's direction. And there was a sort of mutual respect and trust they had found in one another. Edward hoped it would develop into something more, but it was a start.

It was not something they had time to dwell on, however. Not yet. They had more urgent concerns to deal with. Sofia Falcone would be looking for Oswald. Now that Martin was free, it seemed impossible that Sofia would not have realized that the Penguin was in fact alive. Alive and escaped from Arkham. Oswald and Edward would have to figure out a way to deal with this threat, preferably before she sent Zsasz after them. Besides, Oswald still had a personal grudge against the woman. No one threatened his loved ones and got away with it. He relished the thought of getting his revenge.

But they would need help. Edward suggested seeking out Lee and Grundy for their support. They were his friends and would probably want Sofia dealt with as much as he did. He couldn't be certain of course. Edward had been missing for several weeks by this time and he felt some guilt over having disappeared for so long as he helped Oswald. But of course, Lee had known of his plans beforehand. She even offered her help, but Edward had wanted to take care of things on his own in regards to Oswald. He still wanted to take care of their problems on his own, but that no longer seemed like a viable option. Sofia had too much power and taking her on alone would be reckless. But if they had the support of the Narrows... well that was a different story. Edward felt confident they could win. Now all he had to do was persuade Oswald.

"And how exactly is Lee Thompkins supposed to help us?" Oswald questioned skeptically, "The woman I met before wouldn't hurt a flea, and I intend to _kill_ Sofia."

"Fair point." Edward admitted, "But Lee isn't quite like that anymore. Besides, I was thinking more of her usefulness as leader of the Narrows. Oswald, if we have her people on our side, taking down Sofia will be that much easier."

"And you really think she will help us? Because I won't risk Martin's safety." Oswald quirked an eyebrow, arms crossed.

"Absolutely. We're friends now. She'll help." Edward said with conviction.

"Fine. I'll go along with it." Oswald grudgingly agreed, "But I will not hesitate to kill Sofia, so you better make sure your _friend_ stays out of my way."

"Deal."

Edward was pleased. It had actually been easier than he'd anticipated to convince Oswald. Now to see Lee. Edward had wanted to bring Oswald with him to make the alliance with Lee. But Oswald insisted on staying behind. Who would look after Martin? There was not a soul in Gotham that Oswald trusted to leave the boy with, except perhaps Ed. Edward suggested that they could always bring Martin along. It wasn't ideal, but desperate times call for desperate measures or in this case bringing a tag-along child on their dangerous mission. Out of the question. And despite Edward's adamant stance that Lee at least could be trusted and therefore there was no harm in bringing Martin along for that, Oswald refused. After the way Martin had already been exploited to weaken Oswald once, he was not about to risk his safety again. Edward may trust Lee, but Oswald didn't. Once Lee had proven herself as an ally... maybe. Until then, not a chance in hell as far as Oswald was concerned. Eventually, Edward gave up trying to convince him and went to the Narrows alone to speak with Lee. There would still be the problem of what to do about the kid after the meeting, but they could solve that later.

Lee was in her office when he found her. And it seemed a lot had happened since the last time he had seen her. Edward frowned seeing Lee struggling to wrap her newly injured hand. That was unexpected. What happened while he was gone? And where was Grundy? He should have been able to protect Lee from anyone that would hurt her. Startled, Edward rushed to her side to offer his assistance, but she waved him off.

"I'm fine." Lee told him wincing as she tightened the bandages.

"What happened?" Edward asked.

"I'll tell you, but first fill me in on what happened While you were gone. Did your plan with Penguin work?" Lee questioned.

Edward smiled, "Perfectly. Everything went just as planned and Oswald is free."

"Good for you." Lee told him, "You can finish your story if you follow me. I really need a drink."

She led him out of the room and made her way to the bar. Lee grabbed a couple of glasses and poured out a drink for them both. As she did, Edward began explaining everything that he'd done during his absence as well as his proposal for an alliance. As expected Lee wanted in on taking down Sofia. Not expected was the fact that she no longer controlled the Narrows. It was Sofia who had caused the injury to Lee's hand, when she removed Lee from power and gave control of the Narrows to Samson. Well, that put a kink in his plans. Lee was as good as useless now as an ally, not that Edward would say it quite that bluntly. He did express his concerns that there really was no reason for her to get involved. That it would be too dangerous. But Lee still insisted that she wanted in. Even thought she could be the one to put a bullet in Sofia herself. Now that was laughable.

Lee didn't see what was so funny about it saying, "I'm serious, Ed. Look what that bitch did to me."

She held out her hand to emphasize her point and glared at Edward. He hadn't meant to laugh. He just really couldn't see Lee as the killing type. She was a doctor, a healer. Not the sort of person that would murder someone. Not a person like himself and Oswald. It didn't suit her.

"Well, I won't stop you if you insist on helping, but we could at least use a little muscle on our side. Where's Grundy?" Edward sighed.

"I thought he was with you." Lee said perplexed, "I haven't seen him for several days and I just assumed..."

Well, that was just great. Without the support of the Narrows or even Grundy's strength to rely on, it seemed their options were becoming increasingly limited. The only advantage still left to them was that Sofia would have no way of knowing about the alliance between himself, Oswald, and Lee. Perhaps they could use that to their advantage. A plan began to form in his mind. Oswald wasn't going to like it. The plan would involve using him as a sort of icy Trojan horse and handing him over to Sofia. If all went accordingly, they could take her out without any casualties on their end of things. It was the only way.


	9. Chapter 9

"Are you kidding me?" Came Oswald's sarcastic reply. It was not really a question. He could hardly believe what he had just heard from Edward.

"It's a fantastic plan." Edward reassured, coolly, not quite catching on to Oswald's distress.

"TRY AGAIN!" Oswald squawked, "There is absolutely no way! I'm not about to let you have Victor turn me into an ice cube! If this is some sort of sick revenge for before, you can forg-"

Edward cut him off, "Oswald, it's not like that. This is the only plan that will work. We don't have any other options."

"We might actually." Lee interjected, "Now that I know he isn't with you, I might know where you could look for Grundy."

"Why didn't you say so before?" Edward asked, barely concealing his slight annoyance.

"To be honest, I was looking forward to seeing a Penguin Popsicle." Lee smirked.

Oswald glared at her. He still couldn't figure out why Ed had brought her here in the first place. Oswald was still feeling wary about the new alliance and with comments like that, Lee was doing a poor job of gaining the man's trust. Edward could see Oswald was ready to retaliate, but interrupted before things had a chance to escalate.

"So where do I find him?"

...

Edward made his way through the sewers wondering if this was really their best option. After all, the freezing Oswald plan was brilliant and much less smelly. The things one did for love. Love? It startled Edward how easily he came to think of it that way. It was too soon for that, wasn't it? It was still too broken for that. 

Love. The wounds had yet to heal, but Edward wasn't one to take things slow. When he fell, he fell fast and hard. Yes, it was love. The growing warmth he felt for Oswald. The buried affection that had always been there. The connection he felt before they had even met, like it was fate. What else could it be other than love?

But now wasn't the time to think of that. He needed to focus on the mission. He needed to focus on finding Grundy. 

"GRUNDY! You in here, buddy?" Edward called, "It's your best friend and pal! Edward Nygma!" 

He paused, listening for any sign of his friend but was met only with silence. It shouldn't be this difficult to locate a giant, albino zombie. Maybe Lee's guess had been wrong. He was turning to leave...

"AGH!" Edward shouted in surprise upon seeing Grundy right behind him. Grundy stood eerily still, just staring at him. It was a little unnerving.

"You startled me, big guy." Edward laughed nervously, "Listen, Lee and I are going to kill Sofia. I have this plan, but we need a big, strong galoot like you to be the muscle, so come on?"

Grundy remained motionless, breathing heavily.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Grundy smirked.

"Oh dear." _Not Grundy._

Butch lunged at Edward, grabbing him by the tie. He tried to step back, retreat, but was stopped by Butch's meaty hand wrapping around his neck, pulling back. He tensed in fear remembering the last time this had happened. But Oswald wasn't around to save him this time.

"Butch?! Listen to me! I helped you, you remember?" Edward tried, persuasively. Butch ignored his pleas, shoving him back against a wall. Trapped. Frantically, Edward began miming with a wave of his arm as he reminded Butch, "Hot- hot arm. Ed put out fire. Remember? We're friends now!"

"Well, I'm not Grundy anymore and I hear you've made new friends."

"Old friend, actually." Edward choked out.

"So have I." Butch growled, "And see, Tabby, well, she doesn't like you very much. "

Butch pulled his former friend forward then slammed him hard into the stone wall behind him. Edward gasped in shock right before the impact. Then everything went dark.


	10. Chapter 10

He had definitely been gone for too long. Hours had passed with no word from Edward or this Grundy fellow he'd gone looking for. Had something happened to him? Oswald paced the floor back and forth, increasingly agitated by his absence. Martin looked up at him from his doodling and crayons frowning, while Lee sat at her desk and continued to ignore Oswald. It seemed she didn't care for their alliance any more than he did. He still wasn't sure why Ed had insisted she be part of their plans.

Leg starting to ache, Oswald finally forced himself to sit down beside Martin. He watched the boy scribble out pictures across paper. Well, scribble wasn't really a fair word to use. The drawing Martin was currently working on was created with much more care and detail than the sketched messages he used to communicate. Oswald could instantly recognize the resemblance to Edward in the tall figure wearing green. Next to him, Martin was busy adding himself into the image with an ice cream cone in hand. Oswald felt a lump form in his throat at the memory, a tear silently rolled down his cheek.

Martin must have noticed. He bit his lip and ceased his coloring. Oswald watched as he shuffled his papers around finally finding a blank one and pushing the page towards Oswald. Next, he selected a lovely shade of green and placed the crayon into Oswald's grasp. Oswald obliged, even though his heart wasn't really in it, pressing crayon to paper and distractedly doodling.

He was worried for Edward's safety. He had to be. The alternative was that this was all an elaborate trick. That Ed had broken him out of Arkham, helped him, and rescued Martin all to lure Oswald into trusting him again. It was ridiculous to think that way of course. But Ed had a flare for the ridiculous, didn't he? After all, Edward's last scheme had been just as convoluted. Would it really be so farfetched to believe he might betray him again? Oswald was doing his best not to be paranoid about it. He knew Ed. He trusted Ed. It couldn't be a trick. But then that meant Ed was in trouble. And he was still just sitting here doing nothing. Oswald looked down at his paper to see it littered with little green question marks all across it. He couldn't ignore this.

"Something's wrong. He should have been back by now."

Oswald stood up unable to contain his anxieties any longer. He stamped his foot in frustration, spouting, "Who exactly did you send Ed to meet with?! We were clearly better off without him!"

"Calm down, Oswald." Lee responded calmly, "I'm sure he'll be back any moment."

Oswald wasn't convinced. 

"If that were true, we would have heard from him by now. How long are you going to just sit there before you realize? We have to do something!"

Lee sighed, "And what do you propose we do? Do you think you're the only one worried? Right now, the best thing we can do is be patient and try to come up with a plan. Acting rashly won't help anyone."

Oswald felt a light tug on his sleeve. He looked down to see Martin's worried expression looking back up at him. The boy lifted his notepad for Oswald to read.

*You should go look for him.*

Oswald shook his head, "Out of the question. I can't leave you alone and I can't take you with me either."

Martin scribbled quickly, *Not alone* and pointed to Lee.

Lee raised an eyebrow waiting for Oswald's response. The truth was Oswald didn't trust her not to hand Martin over to James Gordon at the first opportunity. He wasn't about to admit that out loud however.

Instead, he said, "No. She's involved in this too. It's too dangerous to stay with us. But maybe..."

There was one person left in this city Oswald really trusted (besides Ed of course). One person who never betrayed him, never lied to him, never insulted him (at least not that he was aware of). No one would ever think to look for Martin there (he's surprised he thought of it actually). Oswald smiled to himself...

_Knockity knock knock._

Oswald stepped back, grinning confidently, one hand resting on Martin's shoulder. Martin looked up at him dubiously. As Oswald whispered reassurances into his ear, the door creaked slightly open.

"Hello, Olga. Long time no see." Oswald greeted enthusiastically.

"Mr. Cobblepot."

It was barely an acknowledgement. In truth, she looked less than thrilled to see her former employer, door only barely cracked open. Oswald shifted nervously. Time to butter her up.

"Haha, same old Olga. You're a woman of few words. Did you know I always admired that about you?"

Technically, it wasn't a lie. Silence was quite a valuable trait for staff to have when you were involved in illegal and underhanded dealings. Sure, he'd tried to get her to learn more english and be a little more conversational with him but that was neither here nor there. True to his words, Olga gave no reply to his attempted compliment.

"Um, this," Oswald said, pressing forward and giving the boy's shoulder a light squeeze, "is Martin. I need someone to watch him and thought you would be just perfect for the job! After all, you have such a... nurturing nature."

Olga sighed. Oswald was beginning to think this wouldn't work out after all, but then the woman opened her door and stepped aside to allow the child entrance to her home. Martin looked to him for guidance and Oswald nodded. He watched the boy shyly step inside. Olga smiled warmly at him and gave his head a gentle pat, before stepping out of her home to speak with Oswald alone.

"How much pay? When?" Olga questioned, tone gruff. 

She always had been a little gruff. No nonsense. But then that was one of her good points. It was why Oswald felt he could trust her.

"Not to worry. You will be generously compensated after I've completed this little..." Oswald faultered, "errand of mine."

Olga nodded and asked, "You come back when?" 

Oswald paused, unsure how to answer. He didn't know when he would come back, or even if he would survive to come back. He felt a heaviness in his chest at the thought that this might be the last time he ever saw Martin. At least he was safe. At the expression on his face, Olga's own stern features softened. 

"No worry, Mr. Cobblepot. I watch until you come back." 

"Thank you."

With that settled, Oswald turned away and began walking back down the street. With Martin taken care of, he could finally focus on the problems at hand: finding Ed and destroying Sofia Falcone.


	11. Chapter 11

Without Ed and the supposed ally, Grundy, Oswald wasn't sure what exactly the new plan should be. He was going back to the Narrows, back to Lee, only because she was the only one left on the same side he was. _The enemy of my enemy_ and all that. They both wanted Sofia dead. It wasn't as though he hadn't made similar alliances before. Like he had with James Gordon in the past. Speaking of Jim...

Oh no! There he was! With that buffoon Harvey Bullock walking straight towards Oswald. Jim spotted him, pulling his gun from his holster. Oswald panicked, looking around himself wildly. He needed something, anything to give him some leverage. He shoved aside a homeless man grabbing an empty bottle beside him and shattering the end. He brandished the jagged glass before himself ready to slash at the detectives at the first sign of trouble. 

"What are you doing here?" Oswald demanded, breathing heavily.

"We're looking for an Arkham escapee about yea tall, walks with a limp?" Harvey described, motioning with his hand to indicate an Oswald height.

Arkham?! Oswald's mind went blank with fear at the mention of it. He was momentarily lost to that time. Jerome's wild cackle rang in his hears. No! He couldn't go back! He wouldn't let them take him back there! But he was frozen in place.

Without notice (or care) for Oswald's terrified state, Harvey continued, "Has a mommy complex."

Oswald scowled at the mention of his beloved mother in such a rude way. But the comment returned him to the present. He was done dealing with this.

"Those trumped up charges you used to put me away have lost their teeth." Oswald informed the detectives, "Martin is still alive."

"So produce him." Jim countered.

"Nope. He is not safe until Sofia Falcone has been dealt with, permanently."

"I think you and I want the same thing, Oswald." Jim said, "We both want Sofia to go away."

Oswald wasn't ready to lower his guard yet. His hand trembled slightly around the broken bottle, but he held firm. Wanting the same things as James Gordon didn't mean he could trust the man. Oswald had learned that thoroughly by now.

"Then turn around and walk away." Oswald spoke slowly and waved his makeshift weapon to make his point clear, "Let me do what I do."

"No. I want her in jail and for that I need evidence."

Clearly they did not want the same thing. Of course not. Good old Jim was ever the righteous hero. But only when it suited him. 

"I want your bookkeeper, Mr. Penn." Jim continued.

_Mr. Penn?_

"What would he know abo-" Oswald faultered. 

Then it clicked. He gasped loudly, mouth dropping open. MR. PENN! Oswald gnashed his teeth, shaking with rage.

"That little weasel was working with her!" Oswald howled.

"Yeah. He was working for her, for Don Falcone, for everyone." Harvey drove it home, pointing his gun, "You might want to check your management style, pal."

Oswald inhaled sharply, pausing mid tantrum. He let out his breath in an attempt to calm himself but fury still encompassed him. There was only one way to soothe it.

"I'm gonna kill him." Oswald chanted softly, shaking his bottle, "I'm gonna kill him."

"Oswald, Oswald." Jim attempted to pacify him  
He reached out his hand in a calming gesture. _'Easy there'_ it seemed to say. Oswald looked up at him.

"Calm down." Jim told him, stepping closer, stowing his gun away, "You show us where we can find Mr. Penn and I'll let you walk away."

Harvey looked at Jim like he was insane. Oswald looked at Jim like he just might tell. Jim kept eye contact, his tone soothing and Oswald wished he could believe him. He shivered.

"I don't believe you."

Jim tried a new tactic, keeping his voice level, "Sophia has Zsasz after you. His orders are to kill you."

"Her goons run the Narrows. How long do you think it's gonna take till she finds you?" Harvey added.

Oswald looked from Harvey back to Jim. Jim nodded. He was caught between a rock and a hard place. But better Jim than Sofia. Oswald looked at the bottle in his hand, hesitated only a moment, then let it drop to the ground. He sighed.

"I heard Mr. Penn talking about a place, just out of town near the tricorner. The spa Bo'sh Sumka." Oswald said before chuckling, "Offers... _special_ therapy. If he's hiding he's probably there."

With that, Oswald walked right passed Jim without further delay. He intended to leave and wasn't about to stick around for Jim to change his mind. He still didn't really believe it could be this easy.

"Oswald." Jim called.

He haulted, turning back to face Jim. Here it was. Jim had been lying after all.

"Thank you."

Jim held out his hand to Oswald. Oswald looked down at it. He never expected such a sincere gesture from the officer. Oswald grasped his hand, returning the handshake with a nod. Only to be grabbed from behind by Bullock! 

"That's really nice. Now put your hands behind your back."

"NO, NO! We had a deal!" Oswald screeched as his hands were locked into cuffs behind his back. 

"Harvey, what are you doing?" Jim questioned his partner. 

"If you want to look the other way, Jim, fine. I didn't agree to squat. Come on."

Oswald looked to Jim. He made a promise and Oswald held up his end of the deal. This couldn't be happening. Harvey shoved Oswald forward. Jim did nothing. 

_Unbelievable!_

Oswald began to struggle, but there was nothing he could do. This couldn't be happening! He had to find Ed! He had to get rid of Sofia! And more than anything he couldn't go back there! He couldn't go back to Arkham!

Oswald wailed miserably, "No! No-oh-oooooh!"

Oswald was led away back to their car. As Jim opened the door to it, unwelcome company appeared across the street. Victor Zsasz and... Headhunter! Alive?

"Sofia's gonna be very curious to know why you're looking for Penn." Victor called to them.

"Hey, Penguin. Remember me." Wendell waved at him with a smile.

"Oh god no." Oswald uttered. This was _not_ a good day for him. Could his luck really get any worse? He would later regret questioning it.

"Wait, is Penn important or something?" Victor asked aloud. He paused gauging their response. All remained silent, but it seemed Victor had his answer anyway.

"That's a yes. You see that?" Victor pointed, "That's his yes face."

"Get him in the car." Jim muttered, pushing Oswald. 

Harvey forced him down into the backseat, closing the door. Oswald quickly sat up to see what was happening. Victor offered Jim the chance to hand himself and Oswald over quietly, but they all knew how that would turn out. Jim never went quietly. And for once, Oswald was grateful for that particularly annoying trait.

Oswald ducked back down as the first shots rang out. Gunfire erupted around them and Oswald was left trapped in the middle of it. He cowered in the backseat as glass shattered and bullets riddled the passenger door with holes. He would likely be killed any moment, but then he heard a door open and close as someone got into the driver's seat. The vehicle roared to life, tires squealing as they raced away. Oswald looked up to see, of all people, Lee Thompkins at the wheel. It seemed he owed her his life.

"H-how?!" Oswald stuttered, heart still racing from the close call.

"The plan won't work without you. So when you didn't come back, I came looking for you." Lee explained, taking a sharp right turn. 

"Plan? What plan?" Oswald demanded. 

"Remember when Ed mentioned using you as a chilly trojan horse?" Lee smirked in the rearview mirror.

"NO! Oh no! I am NOT letting you hand me over to Sofia as some sort of frozen bounty!" Oswald screeched, reaching for the door to jump out.

"Wait! They have Ed!"

_What?_ Oswald sat back. He glanced up to see all trace of humor gone from Lee's face. She looked upset. 

"Who has Ed?" 

Lee took a deep breath before replying, "Sofia. After you left, I got a ransom note. It was quite clear. You in exchange for Ed."

"I..." Oswald was at a loss.

"This is the only way. If you care about him," Lee said, "then I need you to trust in his plan."

Fear gripped him. But it wasn't the thought of being frozen. Of course, that worried him too, but what really terrified him was the thought of losing Ed. He had already lost him once and never thought he would get a second chance. Oswald knew, whatever means necessary, he could not lose him again.


	12. Chapter 12

The clack of heals echoed ominously off the wooden floors before coming to a halt behind him. Edward felt Sofia's presence looming above him even without having to look. She rested her delicate, beautifully manicured hands on his shoulders, nails like claws digging in painfully. He could just imagine the snide expression she must be wearing, having the Riddler practically gift wrapped and handed over to her without having to lift a finger. Edward had been delivered to Sophia's mansion earlier that day by Barbara, Tabby, and Butch. He still felt a fool for walking so easily into his own capture.

As he was tied to the chair he now sat in by Sofia's goons, she had already explained how he would make the perfect bargaining chip. Thanks to Barbara, Sofia had come to believe that Oswald actually cared enough about him to risk himself for Edward's sake. Edward wasn't convinced. He knew better.

"He won't come for me. You're wasting your time."

"That's not what I heard." Sofia purred in his ear behind him, "Barbara sounded quite confident about it."

"It's not like that anymore." Edward mumbled. 

Oswald had cared enough about him once before, but Edward didn't believe those feelings still applied to him. Sure, Oswald was willing to give him a second chance and had accepted Edward's confession, but that didn't mean those feelings of the past had returned. Edward wouldn't allow himself the delusion of believing Oswald would sacrifice himself. Especially not just to save him. Edward sighed. That ship had sailed.

Sofia quirked an eyebrow at his response before smiling with cruel understanding. She circled around Edward, like a shark circling prey, and came to stand facing him. She tilted his chin up to be sure she had his attention.

"Poor thing." She tutted, "Don't tell me you love him?"

Edward turned away, the woman's nails scraping his jaw with the force of his movement. It was bad enough knowing he may never get the chance to really tell that to Oswald. He couldn't bear hearing her say that word.

"That's going to make things more difficult for you." Sofia warned him, "Because if he doesn't come for you, there's always plan B."

"And what is this plan?"

"You will tell me everything I want to know." Sofia answered simply.

"Ha! _That's_ your brilliant plan?" Edward mocked, "Wow! You're dumb."

Sofia glared. Before he had time to blink, she drew out a blade and stabbed it into his thigh. Edward yelled in pain and surprise.

"If he doesn't come for you, I will have you tortured mercilessly." Sofia twisted the blade for emphasis, "I don't imagine you'll want to give him up initially, but I have someone who will make sure you talk."

"I won't." Edward hissed defiantly.

"We'll see."

...

Oswald hobbled into the chilly space, shortly followed by Lee. He looked around nervously. Not much had changed since the last time he'd been here. Well actually everything had changed. Now he was here to save Ed instead of gather allies against him. He was here to freeze himself in a block of ice all for Edward Nygma (and to defeat Sofia, but honestly he wouldn't have been desperate enough to attempt this if not for Ed).

"Thank you for coming to my rescue." Oswald called back.

"Don't mention it." Lee replied coolly, "Really. Don't. We are allies regardless of what I think of you. Which, honestly, isn't much."

"The feeling is mutual." Oswald huffed, "But why do you despise me so much? I hardly know you."

"You think I've forgotten who you are, Penguin? What you did before Sofia knocked you off your throne?" Lee answered, "You're a murderer and a thug. You and your men threatened my people as much as Sofia ever did. That man shooting at us a moment ago, the one with the eyepatch... he threatened a patient of mine. Under _your_ orders. Recall your little team-up with Jim to search for the Pyg? Your men tore through the Narrows looking for information, and that patient I mentioned? He almost died because of your actions."

"I don't recall that particular instance." Oswald said defensively.

"Of course you don't. You don't care about anyone but yourself."

"I care about Ed." Oswald said softly.

"I do too. That's why I'm willing to work together with you. For Ed's sake." Lee agreed. 

At least they agreed on something. Despite her disdain for him, Oswald was grudgingly grateful for Lee's assistance. Without her help, he wouldn't have made it this far. In fact, he would likely be dead already. Despite this, he still had his reservations about this plan. Freezing himself would leave him vulnerable, with no control over the outcome of this decision. He was putting his faith in Edward and trusting this to go as planned. It was not an easy thing to do.

"I cannot believe I'm doing this."

"Believe it. We're running out of time. Without Grundy, this is our only option. And bonus: I get to see a Penguin popsicle!" Lee smiled brightly.

"This isn't funny." Oswald grumbled, "You do realize this cockamamie scheme will likely get me killed?

"If it puts Sofia in the ground, I'm okay with that." 

Oswald didn't get the chance to rebut that opinion. The sound of a gun clicking interrupted any further discussion. The man they were looking for walked in.

"You couldn't possibly be here to ask my help." said Victor Fries, "The last time you came to me with one of your schemes to regain the city, you promised me every resource to reverse my condition."

Oswald opened his mouth to respond but was cut off instantly.

"So that didn't happen." Victor exhaled.

"An omission I regret and will rectify if given the chance." Oswald replied cordially, his signature grin already in place.

"Uh-huh."

The man didnt look convinced. He strode over to a wall and pulled a lever. Oswald flinched as a blast of cold washed over Victor. He still wasn't used to seeing it as he imagined the damage it would do to ordinary human flesh. He shook the thought away.

"You cannot honestly tell me you are happy here" Oswald insisted, stepping forward and gesturing to an indecipherable heap of machinery, "tinkering away on whatever thi-"

Suddenly, Victor grabbed him by the collar. Oswald was surprised by the sudden hostility and swallowed hard. This was not going well.

"Don't touch that." the man growled. 

He was roughly shoved away. Maybe this wasn't going to work. Oswald was already trying to come up with a new plan when Lee spoke up.

"You want money for your research, Sofia wants Penguin. So you deliver him to her, you can name your price."

Victor paused to consider this. It was a good argument and Oswald couldn't help being impressed with Lee. He was beginning to see why Ed had confidence in her.

"That would cover helping you this time. _He_ still owes me for last time." Victor stated, pointing at Oswald.

 _Great!_ What could Oswald possibly offer to him? He had no power of his own, no money, no leverage. Everything he had was taken the moment he was thrown back into Arkham. Huh, Arkham... That was it! Oswald snapped his fingers in excitement.

"What if I could get you your Arkham file?" He wheedled, "Everything Strange had on your condition. Imagine what you could do with his research. Build another suit, cure your condition, whatever! The man I'm trying to rescue broke me out of Arkham. And he could easily break us back in!"

Victor finally smiled at him, "I may have something."

Victor turned away to retrieve an object from his collection of gadgets. He held the item out to Oswald indicating for him to take it. Oswald dubiously inspected the little device.

"Keep this on you. It's on a timer. Best I can do on short notice. Now, strike your pose, Penguin."

"Wait a second. I'm not read-"

"I don't care." Victor said, blasting Oswald with the freeze ray.


	13. Chapter 13

_So this was how Ed had felt?_

Within mere seconds, Oswald's body was encased in ice, his final objection cut mid sentence. He hadn't even had time to take one last breath. Oswald hadn't known what to expect coming into this, deciding to allow himself to be frozen, but it wasn't this. His nerves were on fire from the burning cold, the sensation quickly penetrating through him to invade even deep into his bones. His lungs ached for breath he could not take and his heartrate began to slow. It was excruciating. The pain intolerable, but there was not a thing he could do to relieve it. Unable to move, unable to scream, unable to even think. When his consciousness finally began to fade to black, he welcomed it like an old friend, thankful to finally be free from that icy hell.

In the darkness, hell took new shape in the form of nightmare. Pieces of memories flitted through his unconscious mind like a horrific picture show. He was back on the pier facing Edward. No. He was watching from outside of himself. Watching himself face the Riddler with Ivy and Victor behind him.

"Why didn't you just kill me, Oswald?"

He watched himself step closer, knowing the answer. Because he was cruel, he wanted him to suffer. Because he loved him, he couldn't let go. Because he didn't know. He didn't know how that decision would haunt him after everything changed.

The scene blurred. Ivy and Victor disappeared, leaving Oswald alone with Edward. He was no longer merely a spectator, back inside himself, facing the man he never really stopped loving. Somehow, Edward was already frozen. Arms outstretched before him, eyes wide with horror. His final cry echoed in Oswald's ears. 

"NO!"

Oswald shivered. He looked down at his hands. Red! He saw red! Blood coated his fingers and a blade clutched in his grasp. Oh god no! He looked back up to Edward. There was a familiar bloody line drawn across his throat.

_Your fault. Your fault. Your fault._

He could hear Edward's voice just like before. But this time, Edward was frozen. Oswald wanted to reach him. He wanted to cover that horrible slash in his neck. But the ice was a barrier between them and all he could touch was it's cold, slick surface.

_Your fault. Your fault. Your fault._

Then their positions switched. Now Oswald was encased in ice and Edward was on the outside, his throat still bleeding out. Oswald watched helplessly as Edward clutched at his own neck, gasping for breath. It did nothing to stop the flow of blood. His body trembled then collapsed. A puddle of red formed around the still corpse. 

_Your fault. Your fault. Your fault._

And Oswald could do nothing! What if this was all a mistake? What if the plan failed? What if he was trapped when Edward needed him most and he awoke to find him...

These thoughts and scenes played out in his mind again and again, tormenting him. All he could do was hope everything went to plan. Hope when he awoke he'd save Edward again.

...

The drill whirred loudly in his ears soon accompanied by sharp pain shooting through his mouth. He clenched his fists, toes curled, as he tried to endure this latest agony. Sofia had lost patience waiting for Oswald to hand himself over. Edward wasn't surprised. He'd told her he wouldn't come. At least Oswald was safe. Edward had no intention of giving him up. He could taste the bitter tang of blood filling his mouth and adding to his torment. It hurt! 

"OH!" Edward shouted, unable to hold back. He groaned.

The drill whirred to a stop, finally falling silent and was removed from Edward's mouth. He ran his tongue delicately over the damage, wincing at the tenderness. He breathed in deep through his nose, willing himself not to show weakness.

"His strength of mind is... impressive." the Dentist commented, tilting his head.

Edward groaned again. The pain was really getting to him, but he had to remain strong. For Oswald. Sofia stalked around him, patting the Riddler's shoulder as she came around to face him. She took a seat in front looking Edward in the eye to gain his attention. He glared back at her obstinately. There was no way he would give her what she wanted.

"You are going to tell me where to find Penguin." Sofia calmly said, leaning forward, "Or I will make all of this look like a pleasant dream."

"I won't." Edward spat, spraying blood, "Never."

Edward watched in amusement as Sofia leaned back, a look of disgust on her face. Specks of red dotted her previously pristine white suit. Edward just smiled wide, teeth red with blood.

Sofia smiled back, falsely sweet, and turned away. Edward could hear her rummaging through the Dentist's tools and felt his stomach drop. Oh dear. Suddenly, she spun back around bringing a hammer down heavily across his hand. There was a sickening crunch and Edward howled. He panted heavily, pain pulsing through his damaged fingers. Edward looked down at his broken hand and laughed.

"I can be humerus but I'm never funny! Hahaha! What am I?"

It was funny, wasn't it?! Oswald's location should be so obvious! How could this brainless woman not realize? Edward had been working with Lee all this time in the Narrows and Butch would have spilled everything. Could Sofia really be that clueless? Edward kept up his manic cackling. The pain was making him lose it and he couldn't stop.

"Tell me where he is!" Sofia screamed, finally losing her cool.

"If you're too stupid to figure it out, why should I tell you?" Edward mocked.

She lifted the hammer to strike him again...

"Ms. Falcone, you have a visitor." One of her stooges interrupted. 

"Kind of in the middle of something." Sofia ignored him.

"They brought Penguin."

_No._

"Bring him in."

Sofia stopped, setting down her weapon and turning her full attention towards the entry. Edward watched her walk away, struggling to twist around so he could see what would happen. It couldn't be true! Oswald couldn't trade himself for him. Not after everything he'd done to keep him safe. Edward watched as a block of ice was hauled into the space. At the center was Oswald.

Oh! Clever bird! Oswald had decided to follow his plan and Edward felt a thrill rush through him at the thought. It was even better now. To Sofia, it would look like they had given into her demands. She would have no idea the trap ready to befall her now that the seemingly imprisoned Penguin had been brought to her.

Shortly after, Lee and Victor Fries walked in. Lee caught Edward's eye and signalled a quick thumbs up to him. Edward slumped in his seat finally allowing himself to relax. It was a relief to know he was being rescued and all the tense fear he'd felt before had sapped him of energy.

"Well this is unexpected." Sofia said, addressing Victor Fries, "Is he alive in there?"

"Maybe." Victor answered, "I want a hundred thousand for him."

"And Edward." Lee added.

"Pay him." Sofia told her lackey, before turning to face Lee, "As for your friend, he stays with me for now."

"That wasn't what we agreed on." Lee insisted.

"We didn't agree on anything. I told you what to do if you wanted to see your friend alive. Now, you're going to do as I say if you want to keep him that way. Go."

Lee looked back at Edward and he could see the dissent on her tongue. He shook his head at her, giving a weak smile. _Don't argue_. He couldn't talk to her, but hoped she would get the message. It was probably better this way. If he stayed, he could help Oswald. Lee pursed her lips before hesitantly accepting. Turning to leave, she gave one last worried glance over her shoulder. Edward watched her go and despite his circumstances, he was elated to see his plan going so smoothly. Until it all fell apart.

As the others had left, Victor Zsasz and the man known as Headhunter entered the room. As Headhunter examined the frozen Oswald tapping at the ice, Zsasz approached Sofia to tell her the results of their mission. Obviously, they had failed to capture Oswald (seeing as he was already here), but their efforts bore other promising results. They now knew what Jim Gordon was up to.

"Oh, by the way," Edward heard Zsasz tell Sofia, "I found out where Penn is."

 _Penn?_

Edward listened, trying to understand the situation. It seemed whoever this Penn fellow was, he was an important piece in the game. Sofia had brightened immediately at the mention of the man's whereabouts.

"Excellent." Sofia exclaimed happily, "Let's go get Mr. Penn."

 _They were leaving?_ That would definitely put a kink in Edward's plan. The whole point was to get Oswald close to Sofia without her expecting him. They would still have the element of surprise on their side, but proximity had been an integral part of their scheme. Oh well. Edward could improvise. The important thing was that he and Oswald were back together. Together they would find a way forward.

"Oh! I almost forgot." Sofia stopped in her tracks, turning back to Edward she chirped, "Take him to the docks, shoot him, and throw him in the river."

_Crud!_

Edward closed his eyes, shoulders slumped in defeat. It was funny, wasn't it? Oswald was so close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Its been bugging me for a while that I spelled it differently in this fic than in my other one so recently went back and changed every 'Sophia' to 'Sofia'. If you read any I missed let me know lol.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For this chapter the Dentist is also sometimes refered to as Philip. I found the full name on the Dentist's wiki page was Philip Miles. I decided to use it because it felt weird just calling him the Dentist over and over again lol. Anyway, hopefully no one gets confused or it doesn't sound weird this way.

A small beep disturbed the quiet of the Falcone mansion. The ice creaked. One small crack appeared on the surface. Then another and another. The cracks grew, spider webbing across the surface of the ice, crackling and snapping as they wound around the block before finally causing it to crumble. The man, once held at its center, crumpled to the ground amidst the ice chunks. With a shuddering gasp, he lived again. Oswald was finally free from his frozen prison. Blue lips trembled and his teeth chattered uncontrollably from the bone deep chill that still gripped him. Dazed and numb, Oswald picked himself up from the cold puddle on the floor, feet skidding on the slick surface. With shaking limbs, he carefully picked his way passed the scattered ice. He was soaking, cold, and miserable, but only one thought occupied his mind. It was time to kill Sofia Falcone. But where was she?

Oswald only took a moment to adjust before looking around to get his bearings. There was no one he could see in his immediate vicinity. Quiet footsteps alerted him to the presence of another in the next room. Oswald followed the sound, raising his gun, ready to fire.

It was Philip Miles, AKA the Dentist. At the sight of his old boss, the man startled, turning with hands raised to face the Penguin.

"Mr. Cobblepot-"

"You're working for her too!" Oswald pronounced each word with incredulity. 

He shouldn't be surprised. He really shouldn't. But was there _anyone_ in his employ not working for Sofia Falcone?! Oswald shook with fury.

"I assure you-" Philip tried to explain, but was quickly cut off by Oswald's hysterical cackling.

"Of course you are!" Oswald shouted, "Where is she?"

"You don't understand."

"WHERE IS SHE?!" Oswald screeched, smashing his gun into the unfortunate man's head. 

The Dentist hit the ground hard and groaned. Oswald huffed, frustrated. He leveled his gun at the traitor's head ready to shoot.

"Wait! I'll tell you!"

Oswald lowered his gun waiting.

"She left. She's gone to fetch back Mr. Penn before Jame Gordon can get to him."

Oswald nodded and reached into his coat pocket to pull out his cellphone. He had gotten all he needed questioning this traitor. Now he would try to regroup with Edward and Lee, so they could take out Sofia together. He dialed the number, pacing with anticipation.

"Is it done?" Lee answered.

"Sofia left before I could kill her. She's on her way to stop Gordon. You and Ed meet me at the spa Bo'sh Sumka and we will kill her together."

"Ed?"

"Yes, you and Ed." Oswald huffed in irritation. 

The line went silent a moment. Maybe it was a weak signal here and Lee couldn't hear him. Oswald was losing patience.

"Hello?" He questioned loudly, "You there?"

He could hear a quiet sigh and then a stuttering gasp. Oswald felt his stomach drop. Something wasn't right.

"Oswald, he..." Lee's voice came softly, "he isn't with me. He should be there with you."

The phone slipped from his grasp. Clattered on the floor. _What? How? He should be with Lee._ Oswald couldn't make sense of it. He had been handed over to Sofia just as she had demanded. Oswald in exchange for Ed's safety. _If he wasn't with her... if he wasn't here... where?_ Oswald's eyes fell on Edward's bowler hat sitting like a clue a few feet away. 

_He should be there with you._

Oswald turned back to the Dentist, noticing for the first time the dried blood coating the man's hands. His eyes raked across the tools laid out on the table behind him. Tools of his trade. Used to torture...

Lee's words. The hat. The blood. Oswald couldn't make sense of it at all. The blood. The hat. Lee's words. Something wasn't right. 

"What happened to Edward?" Oswald's voice came out a hoarse whisper.

"Ms. Falcone tried to get him to turn on you." Philip began to tell him.

"What?"

"He endured a tremendous amount of pain. He wouldn't give you up."

Oswald gasped. He trembled. His heart filled with dread. Just as he'd predicted Edward had needed him while he was stuck. Frozen in ice and unable to do anything. He hadn't even known Edward was in trouble. Oswald gritted his teeth to reign in the emotions boiling just below the surface. 

"Where. Is. He?" Oswald demanded. 

"Her thugs took him to the docks... To kill him."

Oswald hissed in pain, turning away, doubling over.

He had to go. It might not be too late. It couldn't be to late! Oswald whipped back around to face the Dentist.

"I need a car." He ordered.

Philip blinked, "Uh, well, there may be-" 

"NOW!"

The Dentist startled. He quickly dug into pockets, fetched out his own keys, and tossed them to the Penguin. Oswald caught the keys and, without another word, turned away and ran.

Oswald quickly located the car. He wasted no time hopping into it, turning the key in the ignition, and speeding away. He weaved his way through the city and around other vehicles, not caring if he nicked any pedestrians in passing. His only thoughts were for the man he hoped he'd find still alive at the docks. 

Oswald couldn't wrap his mind around the situation. Around why Edward was in danger in the first place. He could have just told Sofia whatever he needed to for her to let him go. Edward may care for him, Oswald knew that now, but why throw his life away like that? Edward could have saved himself. 

_Why didn't he just save himself?!_

.  
.  
. 

_Love is about sacrifice._

Edward hadn't told him yet, had never uttered the word love to describe what was between them. Love was a taboo. Love was a weakness. Love could only bring them pain. But it had been there. Recently, it had been there. Ever since Edward had taken him out of Arkham, Oswald had felt it in every word, every smile, every touch. It was happening again. Just like before. Edward had a knack for getting himself in harm's way for Oswald's benefit. The ultimate sacrifice. Oswald wasn't ready to risk his heart again, but he couldn't help falling. Who was he kidding? He'd never actually stopped. The yearning in his heart had been an ever present ache. A weakness as debilitating as his damaged leg; He'd learned to live with it. So he kept his love hidden. But now, knowing it might be too late, again too late, always too late, the pain seared through him.

Oswald screamed, crushing down the gas pedal as far as it would go. Not fast enough! The car was hurtling down the street at full speed. Not enough! He could see the water in the distance, the docks loomed ahead. Nearly there! He could see three figures standing at the edge of the dock. Not too late! Closer and details came into view showing two had guns trained on the one. Edward! 

Oswald was going too fast and let off the gas to stomp on the brake. The car came to a halt just off the dock, unnoticed by the men standing on it. Oswald flung open the door, gun ready, and took aim. 

Two shots rang out one after the other. 

Sofia's thugs fell lifeless to the ground.

_Thank god!_

Oswald watched Ed rise to his feet from his crouched position. He whipped around grabbing one of the fallen men's guns, ready to face whatever new danger had arrived. Oswald saw the moment of recognition play across Edward's face. Both men put their weapons away.

"Oswald." Edward breathed, "You're here."

Oswald nodded, unable to speak for the moment, as he choked back the lump in his throat.

"Did you kill Sofia?"

"There wasn't time. I didn't want to lose you." Oswald replied.

"You gave up your revenge..." Edward trailed off, thoughtfully, "I'm glad you came."

They stared at one another, relief washing over each of them. Oswald inhaled deeply and let out a sigh. He could finally breathe again after drowning in fear. The fear of running out of time. Suddenly the fear of one unsaid word didn't seem so much. It still stood unspoken between them. A barrier of ice around his heart. Oswald was ready to break the ice. Edward hadn't told him yet, but Oswald felt it in his gaze, in his voice, in his sacrifice. He ran to him.

Oswald launched himself into Edward's waiting embrace. He felt Edward's arms wrap warm around him as his own hands clutched desparately to the man. He wound his arms round Ed's neck, pulling him closer. Oswald was too late before and he wouldn't make that mistake again. On tiptoe he leaned up to whisper in Edward's ear.

"Ed, I love you."

Edward hugged him tighter. Still holding him, Ed gazed down into Oswald's eyes, smiling so softly. Oswald teared up. He could feel the moisture rolling down his cheek and Edward's fingers gently brushed it away.

"I love you too, Oswald." Edward answered, voice raspy with emotion in a way it had never been before, "I was so afraid I wouldn't get the chance to tell you that."

"Me too." Oswald sniffed.

Edward pulled Oswald close again, holding him like he would never let go. They remained that way for a time, each comforted by the other's heartbeat. The sound reminded them that they were both well and truly alive. As they stood their, the adrenaline rush was wearing away and Oswald felt the excitement of the last several hours taking their toll on him. His body ached, his mind fatigued, and he began to shiver from the cold. Oswald pulled away. He took Edward's hand in his and began leading the way towards the car. Edward followed a few steps before pausing, haulting their movement. He turned back, seeming deep in thought. Oswald waited patiently for him. 

Looking out over the water, Edward announced resolutely, "I have a strong desire to never, never see this pier again."

Oswald chuckled, "I agree."

With that, they left hand in hand, ready to face whatever came next together. They were stronger together. Oswald hadn't believed they could be. He had lost hope in it long ago until Edward found him again, broken again. Edward was always the one putting him back together. And Oswald was always the one to swoop in and save him at the brink of death. Together, no one could stop them. Oswald knew that now. He smiled, knowing Ed knew it now too.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is mainly just a bunch of fluff ♡

Before picking up Martin from Olga, they had one quick stop to make at Ed's apartment in the Narrows. Oswald sat waiting in the car as Edward hurried in to change out of his bloodied clothes in exchange for some fresh, clean ones. Before he disappeared, Oswald reminded him to wash his face while he was at it, so he wouldn't "look like murder" when they picked up Martin. Edward flashed his bloody, wicked grin in response before turning away to go inside.

As he waited, Oswald thought back on everything that had occured throughout the day. A part of him wondered if he wasn't crazy after all, still sitting in a cell in Arkham. Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined going through with a plan as ridiculous as the one Edward had come up with. And more ridiculous yet, somehow everything worked out in the end. Of everything they went through, the most surprising thing was the call they recieved shortly after Ed's rescue. It was from Lee letting them know she took care of Sofia herself. And by 'took care of' she meant she'd put a bullet through the woman's skull. Oswald had been impressed by that, although he was also jealous. Revenge on Sofia was something he had looked forward to, but it wasn't worth Edward's life. 

And now the people he loved were finally safe. Oswald breathed a sigh of relief. Yes, everything had worked out. For once. He couldn't wait to reunite with Martin and take everyone home. Home? He didn't really have one at the moment. He supposed Edward's apartment would have to do for now. As soon as he restored his power and wealth, he would take back his family home, the Van Dahl manor. Until then, it didn't really matter where they went as long as they were together. Oswald smiled softly at the thought. Together had a nice ring to it. His mind continued to wander this way, blissfully, until Oswald was jolted from his thoughts. The abrupt sound of the door opening brought him back to the present. 

"Better?" Edward asked, sliding into the passenger seat and clipping his seatbelt into place.

All traces of the blood were gone. Edward's clothes were fresh and clean. His hair was combed back into place. He looked better, but Oswald couldn't help noting the way Ed kept lightly running his tongue over his wounded mouth or the way he kept carefully swallowing so as not to aggravate it. His eyes traced over Edward's body, fully taking in the damage for the first time. Even if Ed didn't complain, he could see it all too clearly. 

Oswald saw the stiff set of Ed's shoulders, indicating he was still feeling a great deal of pain. Beneath the fabric of his trousers was the outline of a bandage wrapped round the stab wound in his thigh. And despite the efforts Edward spent on the rest of his appearance, trying to look presentable, his hand still looked mangled with dark bruising across the broken fingers. Oswald felt a pang of guilt. Maybe everything hadn't exactly worked out. Sure Oswald made it in time to save him, but Ed was hurt now because he had protected him. And because Oswald had been too stubborn to go along with Edward's plan sooner. Oswald took in his neat appearance with a nod, but couldn't meet his eyes.

"You look great." Oswald lied, "But... how are you feeling? There was so much blood and you seem a little pale and-"

"Oswald," Edward interrupted, waiting until the man's gaze lifted to meet his own, "Really, I'm fine. Mouth's just a little sore."

Oswald grimaced, starting the car and beginning to drive.

"Might not be as chatty." Edward laughed, trying to lighten the mood, "No more riddles for a while."

"Now I'm definitely worried." Oswald smiled weakly back, trying not to sound as melancholy as he was feeling. If Ed wanted to make light of it, he would try to go along with it as well. Oswald looked him over again, "I still think you probably need a hospital."

"Probably. But we can't risk it. Gordon would have us both thrown back in Arkham."

Oswald sighed, "I know you're right about that. I must insist you at least have Lee take care of your hand."

Edward agreed, looking down at his hands and settling his broken fingers gingerly in his lap. He could read the concern on Oswald's face like a flashing neon sign. He didn't want Oswald to worry or blame himself. Edward knew it was his own fault for falling into Butch's trap. If not for him, Oswald would have had his revenge on Sofia. Edward knew how much that had meant to him. 

"Thank you." Edward said, heartfelt.

"I should be the one saying that." Oswald chuckled ruefully, "You could have been killed."

"And you always save me."

"We save each other." Oswald corrected lightly.

Edward smiled at that and Oswald returned it. They lapsed into comfortable silence for the remainder of the drive. Edward even managed a short cat nap, the motion of the vehicle lolling him to sleep despite his pain. Oswald was happy for it, sneaking glances at Ed as he drove. He knew Ed needed the rest. All too soon they arrived at their destination and Edward awoke when the car rolled to a gentle stop.

They exited the car and Oswald walked up to the door, giving it a sharp knock. They could hear the sound of footsteps on the other side and then the click of a lock being undone. The door slowly swung open and Olga cautiously peaked out. Upon seeing Oswald the woman greeted them, giving Edward a stern look, before she welcomed them both inside. 

The warm scent of cinnamon and baking dough wafted to them from the kitchen causing Oswald's stomach to grumble. Neither he nor Ed had eaten all day. Olga beckoned them to follow her and ushered them into seats at the kitchen table. Martin was already seated there, smudges of flour across his cheeks. When he saw Oswald his face lit up and he quickly began scribbling on his notepad.

*You're just in time! We made cookies for you!* Martin told him proudly.

"I can see that." Oswald chuckled, wiping flour from the boy's face with his thumb, "I'm sorry Martin, but we can't stay for cookies this time. We need to go home. Ed isn't feeling-"

Oswald felt Edward's hand on his shoulder, "It's okay, Oswald. I'll be alright for a little bit."

Oswald still had his concerns, but it was decided that they would stay just for awhile longer. Olga was kind enough to bring Edward some pain medicine that would help take the edge off. Then they waited. The cookies still had some time left to bake. As they waited, Martin badgered them with questions about everything that happened. Oswald told him some of it. Despite his young age, Oswald had always confided a lot in Martin. But because he was still only a child, Oswald did leave out some of the more gruesome details. He also downplayed how much danger they were actually in. No need to worry the boy unnecessarily. 

Martin listened to his story with rapt attention. He was particularly interested in what it was like to be frozen. The recollection sent shivers down Oswald's spine and Martin silently giggled at the exaggerated grimace showing on his face. Kids could be so insensitive sometimes. Mostly joking, Oswald smugly told Martin that if he kept it up, he would be grounded. The boy quickly stifled his laughter, wearing a very solemn look and nodding for Oswald to continue. At about that time, a timer chimed, ending the conversation. A minute later, Olga brought the plate of freshly baked cookies to the table.

Martin passed out one each to everyone, clearly proud of his creations. Oswald took his and bit into it immediately. Sweet warmth flooded his mouth and he hummed his approval. He had no self control after that first bite and gobbled the rest of the cookie within seconds. Oswald regretted how quickly it was gone until Martin handed him another. He took his time with the second one, savoring the cinnamon flavor as he chewed. They really were delicious. He sighed sadly as he swallowed the last bite. Oswald glanced beside him at Ed, still picking at his first cookie and wincing slightly as he placed a piece in his mouth. Edward caught him looking and dicreetly slid the cookie to Oswald while Martin was busy doodling in his notepad. Oswald lifted a questioning eyebrow and Edward nodded. With permission granted, Oswald wasted no time, devouring that cookie as well.

Oswald leaned back with a contented sigh. Edward grinned and wiped the crumbs off Oswald's chin with a napkin. Oswald's cheeks warmed at that, a light blush spreading across his face. His eyes met Ed's making his heart race. Edward gazed deeply back lost in Oswald's reverential stare. Martin noticed, looking back and forth between the two adults. A mischievous smile lit his face and he interrupted their moment by making exaggeratedly loud kissing noises and silly faces. Edward laughed and kissed Oswald lightly on the cheek. Oswald's blush deepened, but he laughed too. Olga shook her head at all their silliness and began clearing their plates from the table.

As they readied to leave, Oswald followed Olga back to the sink, thanking her profusely. He honestly didn't know what he would have done without her help and felt a great deal of gratitude. He also promised her, should she wish it, her old job back as soon as he regained his position of power over the gangs of Gotham. Olga found the offer agreeable and accepted. With that settled, Oswald ushered his family out to the car. They were going home.


	16. Chapter 16

When they made it back to Edward's apartment and stepped inside, Lee was already there waiting for them, proudly smirking. Edward grinned at the sour expression on Oswald's face that he had not been the one to shoot Sofia himself. However, he congratulated Lee, sticking out his hand to shake. Lee looked down at Oswald's outstretched hand, lifting an eyebrow. After a moment of hesitation, she grasped his hand firmly and they shook. Edward was happy to see them finally becoming true allies. 

"Thank you." Oswald told her.

"You're welcome." Lee replied, "Now, I think it's about time I patch up Ed."

"Please." Oswald said, heartfelt, stepping aside and taking Martin to bed.

Edward settled on the couch and Lee came forward with her medical supplies. She inspected each of his injuries, applying disinfectant as she went. There wasn't much she could do for his mouth. The injuries would heal on their own and had already (mostly) stopped bleeding. His hand was another matter. Two of his fingers were broken. She used finger casts for them. There was also the gash in his thigh which she carefully, although painfully, began stitching up. 

"Hey, Ed..." Lee said, working as gently as she could, "I'm sorry I didn't take you with me. After she got what she wanted, I didn't think Sofia would..."

Edward winced, shaking his head and placing a hand on Lee's shoulder, "No, I was the one that wanted to stay."

"Still, I _am_ sorry." Lee bit her lip, "I care about you and I'm glad you're okay."

"I'm glad too." Edward breathed, tensing as she finished the stitches. When she was done with her work, Lee handed him a bottle of painkillers with instructions to get plenty of rest. Edward nodded, immediately unscrewing the cap to down the appropriate number of capsules.

"Thank you." Edward said, "For everything I mean. We couldn't have done it without your help."

Lee smiled at him warmly and pulled him into a light hug. Edward returned it with a squeeze before pulling away. Lee studied his face a moment as though there was something more on her mind. Edward tilted his head in question and her mouth stretched into a slow, knowing smirk.

"So you and Penguin? I noticed he was holding your hand when you got here..." Lee lifted her eyebrows.

Edward cleared his throat. He had yet to tell Lee about his feelings for Oswald. With everything else going on, it hadn't seemed important at the time.

Lee laughed at the look on his face, "Oh wow! I was right! That's why you were so obsessed with him!"

"I was not obsessed." Edward retorted in a clipped tone, "But... I _have_ developed feelings for Oswald. Beyond those of friendship."

"And it's clear he feels the same." Lee nudged him lightly in the side.

Edward answered with a giddy grin, "Yes! He told me when he rescued me. I didn't think after everything he could still feel that."

"Hmm. I'm not sure I approve, Ed." Lee teased playfully, "Just try not to get into too much trouble wi-"

Their conversation was abruptly cut short, as that was the moment Oswald chose to peak into the room. Lee quickly fell silent, trying to keep a straight face. Edward looked up awkwardly to Oswald. If Oswald noticed their strange behavior, he said nothing of it. Instead, once he'd seen he was caught, Oswald shuffled through the doorway carefully balancing a tray of tea.

"Let me guess. Ginger with honey?" Edward asked.

Oswald cheeks pinked and a small smile lit his face at the memory of another time he brought Edward tea.

"No." Oswald shook his head, "Actually, it's peppermint. My mother's remedy for toothaches and sore gums. I thought it might soothe some of the pain."

"I see it now, Ed." Lee tittered.

"What?" Oswald demanded defensively.

"Why he likes you." Lee answered, "Who would have guessed the cold-hearted Penguin had a soft side? It's kind of sweet."

"I wouldn't call him soft, but Oswald can be sweet. On occasion."

"Sometimes?" Lee joked.

"Rare occasions." Edward amended with a chuckle.

"Now I feel like you two are ganging up on me." Oswald grumbled, "Take your tea, Ed, before I dump it in your lap."

Edward quickly took his teacup. Oswald grudgingly offered one to Lee as well. She took hers with genuine thanks that seemed to pacify Oswald. He set the tea tray on the nearby coffee table and took up his own cup, squeezing onto the couch between Lee and Ed. 

Edward blew on his tea, watching Oswald and Lee chatter back and forth. Oswald wanted to know all about what happened with the confrontation with Sofia. Lee answered each of his questions enthusiastically, periodically sipping from her cup. Oswald hung on her every word, envy clear on his face. But as he listened, he had one hand absentmindedly on Edward's knee, his fingers lightly brushing circles over it. Edward reached for his hand, entwining their fingers. He drank his tea and it really did soothe away some of the pain. Edward leaned back, closing his eyes. He felt so at peace in this moment. He wished it could last, but nothing stayed quiet in Gotham for long. This was merely the calm before the next storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I hope you enjoyed these quieter moments during these last few chapters. I felt like Oswald and Edward needed a little break, but things are about to get exciting again soon. Oswald's deal with Victor Fries will be taking him and Edward back to Arkham! Anyways, as I prepare for the next part of this story, I'm going to take a short break from posting it. This is so I can try to get the plot fully worked out. Expect the next update in early July! Thanks for reading :D


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